Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol may be
linked with hearing loss in men, researchers from Iwate Medical
University, Japan suggested recently. They enrolled 607 men and 317
women aged between 40 and 59 years with no history of eardrum
problems. They also showed normal results on a glucose tolerance
test. Divided into two groups: a high-level group with serum lipid
concentrations were at least one standard deviation lower than the
average.Results showed that when men were stratified based on their
HDL cholesterol concentration, hearing levels at 2000 Hz and 4000
Hz in the high-level group were significantly better than those
with low concentrations of this lipid. The authors of the study
suggest that low serum concentration of HDL cholesterol is
associated with hearing loss. As a result they argue that
arteriopathy may contribute to auditory dysfunction.